


Raising an Emperor

by RGmolpus



Series: Innocent Bystanders [4]
Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 19:40:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20363992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RGmolpus/pseuds/RGmolpus
Summary: This was suggested by a post on the LMB mailing list - Who had a hand in raising Gregor, and what was their influence?





	Raising an Emperor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gwynne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gwynne/gifts), [diana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/diana/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Hard Decisions](https://archiveofourown.org/works/134744) by [Gwynne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gwynne/pseuds/Gwynne). 
  * Inspired by [The Dendarii Mountains Oral History Project.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15126437) by [Lanna Michaels (lannamichaels)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lannamichaels/pseuds/Lanna%20Michaels). 
  * Inspired by [Refresher Course](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1506980) by [a_shepherd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_shepherd/pseuds/a_shepherd). 
  * Inspired by [Snow Day](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13882191) by [Philomytha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Philomytha/pseuds/Philomytha). 

Let's name the people who raised Gregor:

Princess Kareen Vorbarra- For the first five years Gregor lived with Kareen in the Residence, quietly protected from Serg by Ezar. Much of the protection was Serg being on military duty, away at a base or onboard ship.

She seems a doting, caring mother; who loved him and kept him close.

Prince Serg Vorbarra - He had a negative influence on Gregor; he was the boogie man who lurked in the edges of Gregor's mental vision for most of his life. He was what Gregor desperately feared he'd become; leading him to a catastrophic mistake on Komarr.

Emperor Ezar Vorbarra - The distant Grandfather who pulled all the strings, knew where the bodies were buried (he dug the graves for quite a few of them), and the invisible hand who's touch Gregor still feels. Gregor never 'knew' Ezar, except as a body on a bed; but as he reached his majority he could feel all the influence Ezar still had on Barrayar. 

Ludmilla Drousnakovi Koudelka - Gregor's nanny for most of his life. We don't know if Drou came into Kareen's life before or after Gregor's birth, but Drou was there when it was time to change diapers. She was Gregor's surrogate mom; as important to him as Kareen; perhaps more. I suspect that she put him to bed most nights, and fed him breakfast in the morning.

[Unknown serving staff at the Residence] - Parlor maids, an official tutor or two, various footmen who attended to Kareen on a daily basis. Some of them would have been in their late teens or early twenties; able to privately play with Gregor when more serious adults weren't around.

Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan- She came into Gregor's life late; mainly when she and Aral moved into the Residence after Mile's birth. She became the replacement for Kareen; a mother but somewhat remote (she had Miles to take her time).

Cordelia's influence on Gregor really started when he was fifteen; as he began to be an adult. She guided him into becoming a person of warm rationality, instead of Serg's wild emotion, or Ezar's cold pragmatism. Gregor is, culturally, half Betan, half Barrayaran; due to Cordelia's tutoring and guidance.

Lady Alys Vorpatril - She'd have been at the Residence almost every day; and would have brought Ivan with her. She became the other surrogate mother to Gregor; a bit remote, but someone female for Gregor to go to for emotional support. She blew the Imperial nose on many occasions. 

We don't hear if any of Alys's relatives offered to help with Gregor's upbringing; perhaps they had taken the wrong side of Vordarien's mistake, and were in political eclipse.

Lord Ivan Vorpatril - Six years younger than Gregor, but his first real equal playmate. Gregor may have had a playfriends from the children of the Residence staff; by age seven he was becoming aware of his imperial self, making it hard to be friends with the other residence children.

Ivan was his (near) social equal, and helping care for him (diaper service, perhaps?); would have been seen by Cordelia and Alys both as good training in personal responsibility.

Regent Admiral Lord Aral Vorkosigan - Aral was the stern father figure Gregor needed; The mountain who cared. He split his time between Gregor and Miles; and gave hugs and played games with Gregor when possible.

General Count Piotr Pierre Vorkosigan - Count Vorkosigan became the Granduncle that Gregor needed; the older wise man who treated Gregor as a man, not a child. Once the split between Piotr and Aral had healed, Gregor spent many a weekend and many summer and winter months at the Long Lake; all under Piotr's eye. Gregor learned to ride under Piotr's tutelage; helped in the barn and stable (the first time Gregor got handed a shovel and rake, with a stern order to "Clean the stalls!", was a shock to Gregor's rising sense of Imperial Privilege). Piotr had had a hand in raising Ezar, and I expect that he had private orders from Ezar to knock the silliness out of him - something that Serg never had happen.

(This was one thing Aral, Cordelia, and Piotr all agreed on - part of Serg's madness came from his excessive self worth - he'd always been a spoiled kid, and they were determined that Gregor would never be one. Shoveling out horse stalls and hauling hay does that, so does cleaning fresh-caught fish.)

Esterhazy (and several unknown mountain Families) - The months that Gregor spent in hiding in the Mountains under Esterhazy's eye happened at a critical age for Gregor.

For a few months he wasn't Emperor-to-be, he was a Mountain kid who lived in a wooden cabin, far from everything. He ran around barefoot, fed the chickens and hogs; carried firewood; milked goats and cows; his face was always dirty. Esterhazy rocked him to sleep on many nights, as Gregor's fear and anxiety bubbled up in nightmares.

The local kids didn't know him as Emperor Gregor; he was 'Greg', a orphan from the city; who had to be taught how to live and have fun in the hills and hollows. For the first time in his life he was a kid; nothing else (and he got his bottom smacked many times for being slack in his chores, like every other boy and girl around him).

Boy, were they surprised when Gregor came back at sixteen, to attend a girl's 15th birthday!

(Suggested by diane:)

[The Vorbarra and Vorkosigan Armsmen, and the Impsec staffers who protected Gregor] - These men were a constant in Gregor's world; always present, friendly, and full of care for their Emperor. They were always available to check under the bed, help pick up his toys - and sometimes - just sometimes - help him build a REALLY BIG Snowman. 

That is, after Cordelia and Alys had a few tart discussions with Simon and the Guard commander. 

(Remember Cadet Lobachik? Who was assigned to the advanced course in Security and Counter-assassination? [The Vor Game, chapter 1]  
Ivan and Miles surmised that Simon was trying to get a few guards close to Gregor's age - not that Lobachik was the sort Gregor wanted to see at his breakfast table....)

Lord Miles Naismith Vorkosigan - Miles was a special case; Gregor knew that Miles was to fragile to play the usual roughhouse games that he could play with Ivan and the Residence kids; so he had to be a bit remote from him. Miles was a special duty for Gregor; full of energy and life, but had to be protected and kept safe. Mile's fragility wasn't just physical, it was emotional, and Miles saw all the things Ivan could do - but were forbidden to him, to protect his bones. Gregor learned how to gently hug and hold Miles early; to give him the personal contact he needed; this forms the core of the deep affection and love they have for each other. Gregor has held a crying, in pain, Miles for more hours than he can count; he had to be strong for both of them under Bothari's eye.

Armsman Sergeant Konstantin Bothari - His influence on Gregor is not recognized; as Mile's bodyguard, he'd have been present at all hours in the Residence, and would have been one of the main male influences on Gregor. He was the perfect soldier, Tall, honest, Dutiful; a standard for Gregor to match himself against. In private (with Aral's approval) Gregor would have begun to learn hand to hand combat from Bothari; Boxing, Judo, Tai-bo; Savate - everything any crewman from the Admiral Vorkraft would have known.

Elena Bothari and the Koudelka girls - They kept Gregor's eyes open to to the non-military side of life. Elena was the oldest of the set; having been 'born' in about Gregor 6; she was closest age to him in comparison to all the other kids he grew up with. The Koudelka girls didn't start appearing until Gregor 10 or so; when Delia came around; so Gregor was a mid and late teenager when they entered his life.

Major Clement Koudelka - As Aral's Secretary, Kou would have been available for Gregor almost every day. It's possible that Kou and Drou had apartments (Grace and Favor) in the Residence; so he was a constant companion for Gregor. If Bothari was the (friendly) Monster, Kou was the friendly Adult; someone who showed Gregor how to be a professional soldier - and a private friend. If Gregor has anyone to credit for being ready for the Imperial Service Academy, it's Kou and Drou, who tutored him incessantly for the entrance exams. (Kou was probably the man Gregor went to for stage two of his sexual education - stage one happened when Piotr had him help with the delivery of a foal; he got an earful from Piotr about the birds and the bees that night!)

Captain Simon Illyan - The remote icicle. For many years Simon would have been isolated from Gregor at his own choice; the better to protect and guard him. He was 'Uncle Illyan'; but not someone Gregor saw daily, or had much private time with. Simon became more involved with Gregor when he became a teenager; as a political tutor, and as a confidant. 

Prime Minister Racosy, and the other High Ministers and important Counts. They, and their families, saw Gregor frequently, but in controlled social settings. Everyone stayed a bit remote, as they weren't about to cross sword with the combined intents of Cordelia and Lady Alys. Some (such as the Vorhalas's), provided their kids as regular playmates for Gregor; he went to their birthday parties, they came to his; they all gathered for Winterfair parties; so they knew him and he knew them - and their mothers! [Gregor was 'Count Vorbarra' for most of his childhood, to let him live in a level social field; it was Count Vorbarra who got a facefull of cream cake from Lord Evon; not Emperor Gregor - avoiding a sticky problem of possible treason!]

Honorable mention: Steggie! It's not clear if Steggie was a plastic model dinosaur, or a stuffed plush doll (I'm for a stuffed plushie), but Steggie was Gregor's favorite possession during his earliest years. More faithful than most people, less messy than a puppy; Steggie was Gregor's companion from daybreak to being put to bed. He deserves a mention. 

Possible influences:

Aral's relative on Beta - might he have met them on his way back from the Hegen Hub? they might be third cousins, but they knew Xav personally; and probably Ezar and Dorca. this would have been a chance for him to hear about his illustrious relatives form people who are not dazzled by the Vor prefix; and gives Gregor a link to the nexus as a whole, thru back channels.

(Hmm.... does Ivan visit with them when he passes thru Betan space on his diplomatic travels? how to they react to Tej, and the rest of the Cordonnah family??)

Negative: Vordroza, Hessman, and the other scum-sucking syncophants of Warrior's Apprentice. 

Serg (already mentioned)

Cavilo - the rabid mongoose of a seductress.

Simon Illyan - he has his bad side; as he tutors Gregor how to be a SOB when needed in managing secret affairs. I expect Gregor upchucked the first time Simon , Aral, and the Secret Affairs committee of the Council had to review a 'Do we ice this guy or no?" matter.

Or so I see it....


End file.
